Brussels, 24/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - A few days ahead of the start of the UN climate change in Poznan (1-12 December), the European Union has welcomed the new prospect offered to international negotiations by the commitment of the future administration to play an active part. "Barack Obama telephoned President Barroso to tell him that he is prepared to cooperate on horizontal and bilateral issues, including climate change", Pia Ahrenkilde, a Commission spokesperson, announced on 21 November, adding that José Manuel Barroso has been invited to the United States in January, when the new American President has taken up his duties.
In Strasbourg on 19 November, the MEP Avril Doyle, rapporteur for one of the key directives of the Climate/Energy package, said that she was "optimistic at the capacity of the other countries to join us. It will be difficult, but we will not continue business as usual", she said, cheered up by the announcement that the United States will "commit energetically" to the negotiations at Poznan. (A.N./trans.fl)